Improvement in hand-trucks



I. BRADLEY.

HAND-TRUCK. No.176,586. Patented. Apri125,1876.

InVen-mr ZMM N- PETERS, PNOYO-LITHOGRAPHEIL WASHINGTON, D Cv UNITED STATES PATENT O'rrron.

JEROME BRADLEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPRWOVEMENT m HAND-TRUCKS.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,586, dated April 25, 1876 application filed January 25, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JEROME BRADLEY, of Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trucks; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is a truck for the convenient handling of barrels, boxes, bales, &c. The use for which my truck, however, is more particularly designed is the Carrying of barrels and casks, and especially such as are employed in emptying cesspools, privy-vaults, and the like, from the tank or place where filled, to the wagon upon which they are transported. These barrels, when filled, generally weigh about four hundred pounds, and, from the great weight and condition of the matter contained by them, have to be handled very carefully, and carried as much as possible in a nearly upright position, to prevent the bursting out of the filling-head.

My invention consists in the construction of the truck to allow the barrel to be carried in a standing or nearly upright position, the means for tilting the barrel onto the truck, and the construction of the several parts, whereby a light, cheap, and convenient device is obtained, all as more fully hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make my truck, I describe the same in connection withthe drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing in dotted lines the position of a barrel when being carried on the truck. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line :10 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4., a separate view of the slidin g dog.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in each figure.

A represents the axle, preferably a rectangular wrought-iron bar, which may be bent or depressed in the center, if desired for some special uses. Upon the end of the axle are placed wheels B B, of any ordinary construction. 0 C are two side pieces, supported at one end upon and above the axle inside of the wheels. The side pieces are constructed of angle-iron to give them the necessary stiflness. Two supporting-blocks, a a, of the form shown, rest upon the axle and support the ends of the side pieces. These blocks are held firmly in place and made rigid by the metallic straps b b, which are secured to the axle and to the side pieces. The side pieces run forward nearly parallel, curve inwardly, as shown at c c, and then extend forward, parallel, or nearly so, a very short distance, and are connected together at their outer ends by the metal plate d, which is bolted to each. D is the toe of the truck, projecting up from the ends of the side pieces, and secured to the same by being bolted between the supportingblocks and said side pieces. The outer edge of the toe is in the form of an arc of a circle, so as to catch under the chine uniformly. E is an arm, made of pipe or round iron, bolted at its inner end to the plate d, and projecting outwardly, having its outer end curved downwardly, and provided with a crosshandle, e. F is a dog, which slidesloosely on the arm E. This dog is provided at one end with a hook, f, and at the other with a tooth, f. A foot, 9, projects downwardly from the under side of the plate (1, or the handle near such plate, to support the truck in a horizontal position when loaded; but the truck, when not carrying any weight, maybe stood on end, it occupying but little space in that position.

My truck is used as follows: The truck is pushed up to a barrel by the handle, and the toe is projected under the lower chine. The sliding dog is then dropped, and the hook f of such dog caught over the upper chine. The truck being tilted back, the dog pulls the barrel, which slides at its bottom partially over the toe, between the side pieces, the top of the barrel projecting on an incline upwardly, and resting on the curves 0 c, which conform to the sides of the barrel when in that position. The dog may then be disengaged or not, as desired.

The truck, by the bend of the handle and the low wheels, is naturally pushed or hauled on an incline, which, with the slant of the barrel on the truck, gives the barrel a nearly upright position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The tooth f of the dog is intended to be driven into a box when it is being handled, to

by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a truck, the combination of the side pieces, bent substantially as described, and the toe, whereby a barrel can be carried in a nearly upright position, substantially as shown and specified.

2. In a truck, the combination of the side pieces to the same, made of angleiron, constructed substantially as described and shown.

3. In a truck, the combination of the toe D,

having a circular outer end, and the side pieces 0 0, having the curves 0 c, constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

4. In a truck, the combination, with the arm E, of the dog F, having a tooth on one end and a hook on the other, sliding loosely on the said arm, and adapted to be turned end for end, constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

5. The truck described, and, in combination, the axle A, wheels B B, side pieces 0 O, t ie D, arm E, and dog F, all constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

This specification signed and witnessed this 20th day of January, 1876.

JEROME BRADLEY; Witnesses:

THOMAS E. RYAN, D. E. HUGHES. 

